Michael Gratzel (1944) is a professor at the École Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne where he directs the Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces. He pioneered research on energy and electron transfer reactions in mesoscopic-materials and their optoelectronic applications. He co-invented with Brian O'Regan the Grätzel cell in 1988 and pioneered the use of nanomaterials in lithium ion batteries.
Michael Gratzel is one of the most renowned material scientists worldwide and recently received the Millenium Technolgy Award 2010. He belongs to the 10 most cited chemists and his name appears regularly when Nobel prizes are discussed.
The German-Swiss material scientist has developed a new type of photovoltaic cell which is based on dyes and relies on photosynthesis. In this cell sunlight is transformed into electric energy with support of organic dyes.
Graetzel heads the "Laboratory of Photonics and Interfaces" at the École Polytechnique Federale de Lausann (Switzerland). He is a pioneer in the area of energy and electrontransfer reactions and their application on solar energy, optoelectronics, and in lithiumion batteries. Graetzel has published more than 800 papers, two books and holds over 50 patents. The Scientifc American ranks him among the top 50 scientists worldwide.
The awarding of the the Gutenberg Research Award 2011 to Prof. Michael Grätzel will strengthen his connection to the Graduate School MAINZ and JGU. Gratzel has already visited senior scientists and PhD students of MAINZ at JGU several times. Further cooperation in the area of optoelectronics is planned.
Harvey Prize (2007)
Balzan Prize (2009)
Millennium Technology Prize (2010)
Albert Einstein World Award of Science (2012)
Marcel Benoist Prize (2013)
King Faisal International Prize (2015)
